Me, You, and Ryuu
by hanatsukiko25
Summary: Itachi has a son with Sakura, and while trying to give his son the things he could never have his friendship with Sasuke takes a turn for the worst.
1. I Accept You

The pinkette mother held her baby close to her chest, her emerald orbs watching him with curiosity. Her boyfriend stood next to her in his Anbu black op uniform, wrapping one of his arms around her waist and sticking his finger out to the little boy.

The young baby grabbed it gingerly, careful not to hurt his father. He giggled and his father gazed lovingly down at his adorable son, whom was the splitting image of himself.

Footsteps were heard as an older man walked up to the new parents, staring curiously down to his grandson.

"What is his name, Itachi?"

The new father turned to his girlfriend, whom was contemplating the matter seriously. "How about…Ryuu, Sakura? He'll be a strong Uchiha one day."

The pinkette mother giggled, "Stronger than a dragon?"

The new grandfather laughed, "No doubt that his name meaning will give him the strength of a dragon."

Itachi nodded, ruffling Ryuu's hair. "He seems cheerful like his mother."

Sakura's cheeks turned as red as a rose, her pale, pink lips up turning into a smile. "You were more cheerful when you were younger, you know."

The new father's tied back charcoal colored hair blew slightly in the wind, his bangs covering most of his headband. "I can't argue with you there." The two new parents laughed together, enjoying the happiness of being together and having a child.

A young boy with black and blue tinted hair came running towards them, carrying a school bag and looking exhausted. The new grandfather looked down at him in concern. "How did you do in school today, Sasuke?"

The young boy grinned and gave him a folded up piece of paper. His father unfolded it and looked mildly surprised. "Fantastic, keep up the good work."

He blushed slightly, feeling ecstatic about his father's words. He turned to Itachi and Sakura and stared at the young baby in her arms, blinking a few times.

"He looks exactly like you, brother." Sasuke eyed the baby curiously as it giggled and played with Sakura's long lavender pink hair. She lightly grabbed the baby's tiny hand and smiled, Ryuu giggling all over again.

Sasuke smiled to him and put a finger to his soft cheek, "He's…going to be really strong one day."

His father ruffled Sasuke's hair, "Of course, just like his father." Itachi would have felt proud about his father's remark about his strength if it weren't for the many comments he had already given him. He knew Sasuke deserved them more, being a young ninja in training at the Academy. He needed all the support he could get, and Itachi couldn't imagine anyone doing that on their own.

Except the fourth Hokage's son, Naruto, who was destined to become Konoha's next Hokage when his father would give him the title. Itachi noticed every time when he had gone to report his missions to the Hokage that the young boy struggled, and his parents weren't always there to praise him and make him feel proud about himself. Being the Hokage, Minato had to make sure _everybody_ in the village was happy and safe.

Itachi would never do that to his child. He would give him the things he deserved. He watched his little boy's actions and came to the realization of how right those words sounded. Ryuu looked exactly like him: the same smooth, pale face, the same charcoal hair, and the same onyx eyes. The only difference seemed to be his cheerful personality.

Itachi touched his son's soft, warm cheek. His onyx eyes were ecstatic and lively, and his smile was priceless. He remembered when Sakura told him she was pregnant. He was certainly joyous about the news, but he was worried about how their parents would take it. After all, it wasn't like they were married. _'Yet,'_ He thought, looking up to the mother of his child.

Ryuu had been born days before, but the nurse wanted to make sure he was going to stay healthy so they stayed a few nights. They had come home just last night from the hospital.

His mother and father seemed to adore the little boy while Sasuke seemed to be rather distant and train with his friends. Only now did he truly see what his nephew looked like. Itachi wanted to ask why, but the words didn't come out. 'I'll ask him later,' He thought, watching Sasuke make faces at Ryuu. The baby giggled with mirth, and he seemed to make even Itachi's father, Fugaku, smile at the little child.

"He reminds me of when Sasuke was a baby. He was very content and smiled at everyone." Fugaku remembered, looking down to his youngest son.

Itachi was never an utterly cheerful person, but it didn't mean he was pessimistic. He always looked forward to seeing his family, Sakura, and now Ryuu when he came home from his missions. He would kiss the pinkette before he left and then kiss her stomach, and then let her know that he promised to come home safe. He would always come home safe, especially for his lively son.

He bent down and kissed Sakura's forehead, and then Ryuu's. Tightening his grip around his girlfriend's waist, he turned to his father.

"When do you plan to teach Sasuke the clan's Great Fireball Jutsu?" Itachi knew it was random to ask, but he felt that it was a nice time to ask it when Sasuke was listening.

Fugaku pondered about it for a few minutes, looking from him to Sasuke. Sasuke seemed to figure he wouldn't answer, and started to head to the house door.

"Yes, it does seem to be good time to teach him. That is, if he's ready…" His father turned around to face him. Sasuke's eyes grew bigger, and he grinned with excitement.

"I'm more than ready, father."

Fugaku nodded, "Try not to overexert yourself at the Academy tomorrow. We leave as soon as you come home."

Sasuke felt enlightened by his father's words, and smiled to him happily. " Yeah, I'll come straight home."

A woman with raven colored hair with blue tint opened the door to their home from the inside, "Fugaku, Sasuke, Itachi, and Sakura! Dinner's ready!" She slid the wooden door open wider and walked back to the kitchen.

"To have full energy tomorrow you must eat enough dinner, Sasuke." Itachi walked with him into the house.

"Oh, like I didn't know that already. What made you say that?"

"I was just going to make sure that you were going to eat enough. It takes a lot of skill to perform the clan's Great Fireball Jutsu."

Sasuke gave him a pained look, "It didn't take you very much, did it?" He walked into the house ahead of him, following his mother into the kitchen. Itachi bit his lip in frustration, sometimes wishing he and his brother didn't have to be ninja so they could be equals.

He sighed and his girlfriend gazed into his onyx eyes. He knew he couldn't ever be equals with his brother, especially with an eight year difference in age. Some people like to say that age was just a number, but Itachi knew it was more than that. There would always be that enormous wall that neither of them could climb over, like how big their differences were.

He had seen it since Sasuke was first born.

Fugaku and Sasuke went to sit at the kitchen table as his mother set dinner on the table. Itachi and Sakura went to their room to put their baby asleep. Sakura walked in and Itachi followed behind her, shutting the door behind him. He quickly changed out of his Anbu uniform and put on more comfortable clothes. He set his uniform and headband aside and came up behind his pink haired girlfriend, watching their adorable son sleep silently in his raven colored crib.

Her emerald eyes never left her baby's face, marveling over her son's beauty. Itachi held her waist, and whispered, in her ear, "I love you," She spun around and came inches from his face.

"I love you and Ryuu so much," She whispered, gazing into his onyx orbs like she could be lost in them forever.

Itachi smiled and crashed his lips into hers, their passion for each other exploding into warmth. She broke the kiss and smiled, "Let's go eat, I'm starving."

They left their room and kept the door opened slightly in case Ryuu needed them. They sat down in the two empty seats that were across his mother and Fugaku.

As everyone ate, Itachi knew that the moment to ask Sasuke about Ryuu had come. He turned to his little brother, "Sasuke, why is it that when Sakura and I had come home you didn't want to see Ryuu?"

Sasuke stopped eating and put his chopsticks down on his plate, and then faced Itachi. "I'm…I'm sorry, brother. I did want to see him, but I was, well…" He began, gulping a little, "…nervous to see him."

It seemed like something Sasuke would do, but Itachi knew there was something he wasn't telling him, "What were you doing that night?"

Sasuke's eyes trailed to his food. "Training with Naruto and Shikamaru."

"Haven't mother told you many times about coming home late? We worry about-"

Sasuke slammed his fist on the table, interrupting his sentence and bringing tension into the room. He didn't meet Itachi's eyes. "If you were me, you'd understand." He finished eating quickly and then put his dish away in the sink, opening the door and disappearing into the dark outside world as he shut the door loudly behind himself.

Itachi sighed, honestly wanting to know what was making Sasuke angry today. He hoped that his little brother would be back to his normal self tomorrow. Fugaku shook his head in dismay. "What could be wrong with that boy?" His mother stood up to leave, but Fugaku grabbed her hand, "No Mikoto, I'll handle it."

Fugaku stood up and kissed his wife quickly before leaving, and he surely knew where to find his youngest son. Itachi put his clean dish in the sink, heading to his room while Mikoto and Sakura took care of the dishes. He shut the door lightly behind him, careful not to wake his sleeping son. He peered inside the crib to see his beautiful first child sleeping peacefully, grasping onto a small teddy bear Sakura had gotten from Kushina Uzumaki, the fourth Hokage's wife. Kushina had helped Sakura in many situations, and as a result the two had become close friends over the years. As Sakura had become a Chuunin, and shortly after a soon to be mother, Kushina had been there when Itachi couldn't, even though he hated to admit it. Ryuu breathed softly in the middle of the silence in the murky room, the moonlight shining down on both of them.

He vaguely wondered how long he would stay with his parents. Itachi had a family now, and just like his father he needed to take responsibilities for his actions. He had the money to do it, but if he ever did leave he knew there was something he still had to do.

He needed to mend the broken friendship between him and Sasuke and just hope he'll accept their differences as brothers. As his thoughts trailed further and further, Ryuu started to smile. Itachi noticed this and realized the sign. He had to find Sasuke.

He quietly left his room and ran to the kitchen, seeing Mikoto and Sakura just finishing the dishes. "Mother, Sakura, have father come home yet?"

Mikoto bit her lip, "Not yet, no. it's getting late," She peered outside the window, pitch black overlapping where the lighted outside world was before. Itachi nodded to her, "I'll find them. I know exactly where Sasuke would be."

Sakura embraced him into a tight hug. "Be careful, okay? Come home safe and sound."

"Of course," He whispered, giving her a quick kiss before going outside.

He adjusted to the darkness and had become able to see in the dark from the many missions he'd been on. Running swiftly through the trees, he came to the normal place his little brother would be at. Well, except, if only he were there he would really know.

He jumped down to the ground of the training grounds many ninjas trained at, but saw nothing. He heard a ruffling sound in the trees, and a few footsteps following after the sound. His blue tinted hair was easy to see in the moonlight, his anguished expression showed out the most. Sasuke's clothes had many tears and he had many cuts on his face and arms. A tear feel from his large lampblack eyes, fisting his hands in anger and defeat.

"I…I had to get away…" He whispered, falling to his knew in pain. Itachi came to his side quickly, "I had no intensions to make you angry in anyway. Why did you leave like you did? Everyone is worried about you."

Sasuke breathed heavily, and it seemed that there could have been more to what Sasuke was saying. "Because…I'm so caught up in your shadow, and everyone expects me to be like you. At the same time I'm jealous, because you're strong, you already have a family, and…"Itachi felt his words coming down like a waterfall, "you're father's favorite."

Itachi chuckled and shook his head, seeing his brother was too young to understand the real world. "Sasuke, I may be responsible, but many things do happen that I don't expect, and what I would believe I wasn't ready for. I wasn't expecting to have a family at the age of eighteen. I may be strong, but I am _definitely_ not the strongest there is. Our father doesn't just pick favorites, Sasuke. He loves both of us, but he tends to worry about me because of the mistakes I've made that I wasn't ready for, but I'm more than ready to not look at it as a mistake anymore, but more of a blessing. I'm content with my life right now, and you have no reason to be jealous. You may think you're not up to father's expectations, but what really matters is what you expect from yourself. You're my brother; little or not, you have the potential to be the greatest there will ever be."

Sasuke didn't say a word, but after a few minutes he had realized his brother was hugging him and carrying him through the murky forest. He stared at the ground, knowing there was something he had to say.

"Itachi, I'm…really sorry about all of this. I know we are both different, and there are very few things we have in common, but I will always accept that. I'm, well…I'm proud to be your younger brother."

The older charcoal haired brother halted, and a small smiled escaped from the sides of his mouth. He was utterly happy to hear Sasuke say that, and it was time Itachi told him what he was going to tell everyone else soon. He started to walk again, but at a slower pace.

"You are forgiven, Sasuke. Don't let your emotions over rule next time, okay?" Itachi took a deep breath, and exhaled quickly. "There is something important I need to tell you, but you must not tell everyone else until I am ready to let them know."

Sasuke gave him a confused look. "Um, okay…what is it?"

"I have a growing family, Sasuke. Like father, I must take responsibilities for my actions and find a new place to live that would be more spacious for me and Sakura and Ryuu."

Sasuke grew quiet for a few minutes, and the silence grew even longer when they came to the trail to their home.

Itachi decided to break the ice. "You said before you were jealous that I had a family, right?"

"Well, yeah, but you don't have to go so soon, do you?"

The older Uchiha bit his lip, honestly wanting to say he could stay, but reality had its ways of changing your life. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I have to. Eventually I'll be getting-"

He heard Sasuke sigh sadly, as if he were the loneliest person in Konoha. "Married? Big brother, what will I do when you leave? Who will pick me up from the Academy like usual? Who…" Itachi felt warm tears hit the back of his neck as Sasuke's tears spilled off of his cheeks, "…who will show father that I am a strong ninja and that I have the potential to be in the Konoha Police Force?"

Itachi chuckled, putting Sasuke down and sitting down in front of him. "He knows your potential, Sasuke. Just looking at your grades are enough to determine that."

Sasuke wiped his tears quickly, embarrassed by his actions. "Thanks, Itachi, but how do you know?"

"I've talked to him about it before. Father isn't the type to say things like that out in the open."

Sasuke laughed at that, a brighter mood overcoming him. "Yeah, you're right about that. Do you think you could carry me the rest of the way home?" Sasuke grinned, laughing at his brother's expression.

Itachi laughed with him, carrying him on his back once again. "You're welcome, Sasuke."

The two began to laugh together as they made their way out of the murky forest, both of them putting their differences behind.

The two Uchiha brothers entered the house, and as soon as they did Mikoto ran like thunder to get her youngest son. She held him tight, a silent tear running down her pale face.

"I'm so glad you're alright," She whimpered, wiping her tears with her wrist.

Fugaku had been laying his back against the entrance to the kitchen, a small smile on his face. He thought that Itachi was a strong person, mentally and physically. He saw that he was able to save his brother and put him in a more ecstatic mood. Sakura came up to Itachi, embracing him with all of her love and warmth.

"You're a wonderful brother, Itachi. Fugaku was so worried about you guys. He said he had checked everywhere and couldn't find Sasuke, and I knew you could do it. You're so amazing," She felt safe in his arms, and knew he would never do any kind of harm to her. She smiled in his neck as he kissed her collar bone gently.

"I love you, Sakura."

"I love you too, Itachi."

The two went back to their bedroom together and watched their tired son sleep peacefully, as he had wonderful dreams of him and his family having fun together. His breathes were soft and quiet, yet his soul was loud and joyful. Itachi and Sakura knew their little boy would grow up to be a great ninja one day.


	2. I Need Advice

Itachi sat upon the porch of his home, mind wandering to how great things have been for the past few weeks. He and Sasuke were definitely getting along better, and had offered to train him when he had the chance. Ryuu had been noticeably growing dark, onyx hair. He sighed, smiling; now understanding how his parents had felt when he became a ninja. He wished Ryuu would grow normally, of course, but he just didn't want his son to grow up_ too_ fast. Itachi sighed, dropping his face in his hands. Now he knew what his parents felt like when he was a kid.

The broad sky above him wasn't completely sunny, nor was it cloudless. The soft, slight breeze blew through the trees and coaxed his face with a calming breeze he thought that would never come. His girlfriend and his child were as cheerful as ever today, and Sakura came up with the idea that the three of them should take a walk after dinner later. That itself gave Itachi time to plan what he wanted to do about a lot of things.

The older Uchiha wondered if his son would excel in genjutsu like his mother, and advance through the ranks as quickly as he did. He wanted to proudly think, 'Yes, I would like that very much,' but something- or rather, someone- made him think twice about that, and instead hope that his son would ignore his grandfather in the future and choose his own path.

Just glancing over how hard Sasuke had everything, he vaguely hoped that his son wouldn't have to go through that, but he himself knew better than that. Almost all of the Uchiha's were looked up to for their intelligence and utmost strength. People would be expecting many things out of him as they did Sasuke and himself.

Sasuke had it hard coping with his brother's legacy that had made him known around the village. Not that the younger Uchiha wasn't proud of his older brother. He just despised how people would throw their differences in his face. He always wanted to join the Konoha Police Force, which was almost entirely run by the Uchiha's. There was no doubt that he would pursue his dream, but how could he show his true potential to his teachers if all of them, including his own instructor, continued to expect more and more from him when they were not even bothering to glance at what he had already done?

Itachi knew that was what drove Sasuke over the edge. Even now it worried him that his younger brother's teachers were expecting more than just a perfect grade. He silently scoffed at that. _'Bitches,'_ it almost made him wish he weren't Sasuke's brother. Though, if he weren't, who would truly understand his little brother?

He himself couldn't answer that much.

His father was currently at work; being the chief of the Police Force, he always had to be there on time. His mother left to get groceries for dinner, and afterwards pick up Sasuke from the Academy, which left the pinkette and his beautiful son home with him, and he felt grateful for the alone time. The pinkette wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, pulling him into a warm embrace. Her bubble gum pink hair fell to his shoulders a bit. He chuckled at her actions, playing with a long shiny pink strand that had wound its way to his nose.

He noted to himself how he loved how the pinkette's hair had grown out over time, and grown noticeably softer with each touch of the pink strand that he had twirled around his finger. Gently kissing the lone strand, his whispered softly, "You are so beautiful."

Releasing the single strand, Sakura let go of her embrace on him, and he spun around to face her, a warm smile forming on his lips. Two of his pale fingers came under her delicate chin, gently raising it to meet her stagnant emerald orbs. When his onyx eyes met hers, though, he realized there was something he really wanted to do, but became too nervous at that moment to do it. Instead he kissed her fully on the lips, and after a few minutes, he felt her soft hands wrap around his neck. Remembering that he needed air, he gently broke the kiss, breathing slightly harder, and laid his forehead against hers.

She blushes the lovely color to that of a rose, matching the pinkette's hair almost perfectly. He secretly admired her more when she blushed. Softly, he kissed her pink plump lips again, and then quickly kissed her forehead, breathing in her scent. It was intoxicating to him, and it seemed to stay with him every day. It seemed to be the smell of nature itself, but mixed with a fragrance of flowers and his scent.

Once Sasuke came home with his mother, Itachi decided that he would be the one to teach his brother the Great Fireball Technique. Fugaku seemed to be too caught up in his missions to do so anyway. His father seemed to always be out of the house when something or someone needed his help. Itachi began to feel as if he were the man of the house while he was gone.

Sakura kissed his lips once more, and then let go of her embrace on him and stood. "I should probably do what's left of the dishes before Mikoto gets home. She's been a bit stressed lately, for some reason." Sakura shrugged her shoulders and quietly left the room.

Itachi nodded and turned back towards the broad, gorgeous sky that held his eyes for what seemed like forever. He wished he could grasp one of those puffs and lay on one of them forever. That way he wouldn't have to go back to reality and stop staring at the sky.

He quickly shook that thought out of his head. That would be a foolish thing to say, even though it was a half true. He was not only the captain of the Anbu Black Ops, he was also a father. Hopefully a soon-to-be husband as well. Itachi slightly blushed at that thought, letting his thoughts and emotions out while he was alone. He desperately wished he had the same courage to ask the pinkette to marry him as he did in battle. It bothered him that he didn't have that kind of courage, especially since then two have known each other for years. Had he given any signs of asking?

The captain sighed once more, wondering if he should ask for advice. Itachi was never the type of person to be overly confident and boastful about his strength; therefore, he didn't mind giving in to ask for help every once in a while. The question was, though, who in the world would he ask?

The first person to come to mind was his father, but he never had enough time to talk. There was also other Uchiha's he could talk to, like Shisui or Isamu, whom he'd met while in ANBU over the years, even though he wasn't even sure if they were assigned missions already. Being on vacation because of the birth of his child was supposed to be something he was supposed to relax and feel good about, yet protecting people and the village itself was a part of his job he had grown to love.

Itachi sighed again just as he felt the presence of someone unexpected coming towards him. "Good afternoon, Itachi. You didn't leave the house a mess, did you?" His mother's cheerful smile almost forced him to smile back. His brows narrowed in concern as he noticed a certain someone wasn't with her.

"Mother, where is Sasuke?"

She stopped in her tracks where she had been going up the wooden stairs onto the deck into their home. She turned to him and winked, "When I came by to pick him up, I saw for the first time he was playing with a little girl. He looked so happy that I told him to be home before dinner." Mikoto giggled at the thought of her little Sasuke having a crush at a young age.

Itachi was a little more than slightly surprised to hear that. His little brother, Sasuke? Having a crush on someone? The last time she picked him up he wanted to leave _because_ of all of the little girls chasing him. The Uchiha's are apparently attractive to most people, after all…

Not that Itachi was complaining, anyway.

The captain became curious about this girl. Who was she? What is her name? Itachi shook his head, knowing that it wasn't his business. Even thinking about it brought back up the idea of marriage. He was never the type of guy to keep things that were bothering him in his mind for too long, and decided that he needed to get this over with.

He stood from his usual spot on the deck on their home and entered the kitchen to see his girlfriend sweeping the floor and his mother drinking tea. "Thank you for cleaning the house while I have been gone, Sakura. You and Itachi have been a big help."

The pinkette bowed in respect, "No, it is to repay my debt for letting me stay here."

Mikoto nodded, and then turned to Itachi. "Mother," He started, "I'm going to Shisui's house. I promise to be home by dinner."

His mother nodded and smiled. "Have fun! Be home soon, okay?" Her cheery smile spread to her cheeks as she waved him goodbye. Kissing the pinkette on the cheek, he whispered just low enough for her to hear, "I won't take long. I'll be home before you know it, okay?" He felt himself starting to blush as he inched closer to her soft, pale face. Her lips crashed into his and he found himself kissing back passionately without even knowing it. She broke the kiss and he noticed her emerald eyes held much concern. "Be careful. If you see Sasuke, walk him home, please. He's so small and innocent…"

It amazed Itachi how Sakura had started to care for his family from the time they started dating up until now. Not to say that Sakura wasn't a caring person, it just amazed him how much change has happened between now and then. He found her loving personality highly attractive.

"…and he could get hurt walking around by himself. Itachi? Are you listening?"

The captain quickly broke out of his trance and nodded. "I promise. Don't worry; he'll be okay."

Itachi stood in front of Shisui's home with a satisfied look on his face. Shisui opened the door, holding a confused look on his face. "Hey, Can I help you? Since when do you ever show up at my house?"

The captain anime sweat dropped. "I don't have very many people that I can trust to ask advice from and being as I can trust you I need your help."

Shisui shrugged and opened his door wider. "Well, okay man. Come in, make yourself at home."

The black haired ninja sat at Shisui's kitchen table as the man sat across from him. "It's not like you do this, man. You're usually the type of guy to do things and figure out things by yourself."

Itachi sighed, "I am aware. You…you have a girlfriend, right?"

Shisui's puzzled expression turned slightly more confused than it had been before. "Yeah…?"

Itachi sighed. This was taking longer than he wanted it to, and he knew it wasn't like him to be impatient over anything. Slamming his palms on the table, he bluntly said, "I don't know how to propose to a woman."

It was silent for a few minutes. Itachi, realizing what he had just done, tried difficultly trying to hide his blush of embarrassment. Shisui just stared at him wide eyed as if he expected Itachi to do more…like flip the table over.

Itachi sighed, attempting to break the ice. Shisui seemed a bit calmer now. "Well, you have to wait for the right moment, first of all. If you don't, it won't be really memorable, ya know? Then after that, you just get down on one knee, open the engagement ring box, and just go from there."

Itachi himself was starting to get confused. "Don't you mean…the wedding ring?"

Shisui laughed. "No man, first there's an engagement ring, and then at the _wedding_ you use the wedding rings." Itachi anime sweat dropped.

"You mean to tell me that _no one_ has ever explained this to you before?"

Itachi sighed. "No, not at all. The topic hasn't come up, I suppose."

"It's alright, man. I'm here for you!"

Shisui gave his friend a smack on the back and received a death glare from the Uchiha. Shisui slowly inched himself back to the other side of the table and cleared his throat.

"So…who's the bride-to-be?"

Itachi sighed once more. Could his friend be as serious as he is in ANBU then just regularly talking to him outside of it?

"Sakura Haruno."

Shisui blinked, "Oh, you mean the mother to your child? Sorry, I have a terrible memory. Isn't she the girl that Lady Tsunade took on as apprentice? She must be incredibly strong." He remarked, lost in thought.

Itachi nodded, "She is. Tsunade is very strong; she could be Hokage one day if she wanted to."

Shisui nodded in agreement, "That's true. That is, if the third is willing to just retire already. He's starting to get in his golden years." At that comment, the two friends laughed and realizing that time, Itachi stood.

"You gotta go so soon?"

Itachi nodded, "Yes. I'll see you around, Shisui. Take care of yourself."

Shisui nodded, "Same to you."

On the way home, Itachi began to realize something. Not as many people have been out at night as usual near the Uchiha district of Konoha. He wondered if there was something driving them away from the area. If couldn't be an animal, being as there are many ninjas all around to randomly dispatch it; but a ninja itself would be an entirely different story.

Some ninjas are stronger than others.

Not wanting to drive whatever it could be to his family, Itachi went a different way home instead of his usual route.

Entering the home, he was greeted by his girlfriend and mother, whom eagerly encouraged him to eat. As hungry as he was, though, something wasn't settling right with his stomach. He had a strange feeling going through him, and he knew his vacation could be ending sooner than he thought.

Being as he and Sasuke had gotten home late, the two of them ate together. "Itachi?" Sasuke shyly spoke, looking up to his older brother with a slight smile, "What does it mean when you start feeling weird when you look at a girl?"

Itachi recalled what his mother had said earlier, and turned to his brother, "That's what's called when you have 'butterflies in your stomach'. You get them when you have a crush on someone you admire."

Sasuke scoffed a bit, "Itachi, you know as well as I do that that's not possible. Butterflies are insects! Who would eat an insect?"

Itachi laughed at that and ruffled his younger brother's hair. "It's an expression that has been passed down through generations and generations to explain how nervous you are around a girl you have a crush on."

Sasuke blushed, and didn't say anything. Itachi chuckled at his expression. "What is her name?"

Sasuke turned to face him, his face redder than it had been before. "Amarante Yamamoto…"

The captain chuckled at that. "That name hasn't been used for a longtime is Konoha. She must be from Kirigakure."

Sasuke's once blushed face held a puzzled expression. "Really? Are you sure?"

Itachi nodded, "Yes, different countries from ours, such as Kirigakure, have large differences then what we are used to."

Sasuke nodded, curiosity gleaming in his onyx orbs. "That's really cool. Have you ever been to Kirigakure, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded, "On a mission I have. It's not the best place to be, being as it's clouded with mist wherever you go."

Sasuke shrugged, "It would be kind of fun actually. It would easier to run away from all of those girls whom chase me at recess at the Academy."

Itachi chuckled, "I would be careful about that. You could be hiding from them as they're watching you from a distance."

Sasuke shivered at that thought, hoping that that would never happen. He couldn't even begin to imagine how frightening that would be. "I hope that doesn't happen…"

Itachi chuckled, "Most Uchiha can handle it."

Sasuke turned his head, hiding his annoyed expression. "Yeah_, most_."

"You have the highest grades in your class, right?"

Sasuke turned back to face his brother. "Yeah?"

Itachi patted his back, "You'll be a fine ninja one day, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled a small smile, turning back to his food before answering. "Thanks Itachi."

The rest of the night had flown by as peacefully as possible until the next morning.


End file.
